football manager 2017 tactics

You may choose to start the game with a default tactic, perhaps one you enjoyed success with in previous versions of Football Manager. However you decide to set your team up, it’s essential to have a clear game plan and style of play in mind.

We recommend you use the following match settings to keep a close on eye on proceedings: 2D camera, comprehensive highlights and maximum 75% match Speed during highlights. Constantly monitor body language, physical Condition and morale – either by opening the respective widgets or by regularly clicking on the Team Talk button.

The Best Attacking Tactic For Scoring All The Goals In FM17

The Strikerless 4-1-2-3

Ain’t she a beaut? [Credit: Sports Interactive]

I had a difficult time trying to get my forwards to function efficientlyin a “gegenpress”-like 4-2-3-1 in #FM16. My number 10 was utilized as an advanced playmaker, whilst I had two inside forwards flanking him. My forward was your standard advanced forward, beasting a line through the centre of defense.

My “gegenpress” 4-2-3-1 [Credit: Sports Interactive]

I noticed that teams, especially when playing away, became increasingly prone to playing a deeper defensive line with three centre backs and two defensive midfielders slotted in between two wing-backs. With that, naturally, my striker and number 10 were both feeding off scraps, and barely managing to scrape an overall rating of 7.0 come the full time whistle.

Gegenpress team instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

My wingers were able to cause some damage on the flanks due to the space the opposing wing backs would leave when tracking upfield. But, thanks to the major presence in the opposition’s centre, my wingers (or inside forwards as I would always use them) found little hope cutting into the middle to open up space for chances.

My centre midfield did a great job of holding onto the ball and distributing it as well as they could, but I was sorely lacking an end result from my free-form, tiki-taka play. And my striker was simply wasting opportunities. So, with that in mind, why not just remove the dead weight and have three attacking midfielders in his stead?

Three’s A Charm

[Credit: Sports Interactive]

I like to have a team that comprises of strong, fast, technically gifted passmasters that can ping the ball around however they see fit. Who doesn’t, right? They have to be malleable too, because long gone are the days when a footballer should be limited to only one position on the pitch.

I opted to go for a deeper defensive line so the team can get the ball back in our end and get it forward as quickly as possible by foot. No hoofing the ball and hoping for it to land at the feet of one of my lads. Play out of defense, retain possession and play damn fast football. There’s no point in selecting “be more expressive”, because they should be anyway with a liberal mix of flair, vision and passing. A good video to watch is here.

Strikerless team instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

Attacking Midfield Tactics

[Credit: Sports Interactive]

Onto the three-pronged spearhead. The attack consists of two second strikers and an advanced playmaker. The AP can also be deployed as an enganche or an attacking midfielder, but basically there should be someone in the hole spraying balls about. As dirty as that sounds. Though if you want to maximise chances, you could deploy three second strikers and have an advanced playmaker and central midfielder supply the direct balls.

The interplay between these three players up top, at best, is electric. Short, looped passes, nifty turns, it’s like watching Messi, Neymar and Suárez on a good day over at FC Barcelona. Sensational interplay in a relatively narrow formation.

Deeper Midfield Structure

[Credit: Sports Interactive]

For me, the box to box midfielder is the most important position on the pitch. Your BBM has to have enough pace, stamina, creative and technical attributes to be able to bomb it up and down the pitch for over an hour, mopping up attacks and creating ones, too (that’s usually why I like to train an attacking midfielder in that role).

Box To Box Midfielder instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

With an active BBM you have four players already dedicated to providing attacks, with the BBM arriving late to keep the ball in the opposition area. Your deep lying playmaker (DLP) will hold his position and bring your BBM or AP into play with simple short passes, leaving a run into the opposition half much later. Which is perfect for a long shot specialist.

Deep Lying Playmaker instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

Just ahead of the defense lies the ball winning midfielder, the beast at the back, who has no issues in tearing through any opposing force that stands in his way. He does nothing but protect your back four, or the back two if you prefer to have your wing-backs tearing up the pitch in support of the attack. I don’t in this particular formation.

Ball Winning Midfielder instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

Wing Back Structure & Central Defense

I like to have my wing-backs inverted, meaning they cut inside the pitch which causes more option for short, speedy play and disrupting defenses with pure pace and confusion.

Inverted Wing Back instructions [Credit: Sports Interactive]

And finally my central defender and ball playing defender combo is probably the weakest aspect of this tactic. Vulnerable to classic 4-4-2s, if the other team swarms my defense, goals will unfortunately be scored against me as a swift forward will nip in behind my stopper and catch my BPD sleeping.

It’s happened on numerous occasions, and has lead to me uttering not very nice things to my monitor.

The Greatest Team The World Has Ever Seen

This formation has led me to wipe the floor as Arsenal FC. I’ve won everything, man, and have the biggest superstars at my disposal. And so can you!

[Credit: Sports Interactive]

This is my standing in the English Premier Division after using the formation for an entire season. Champions with one loss and a goal difference of 109.

[Credit: Sports Interactive]

The analysis of my goals from the last 50 games shows a preference of placed shots. Generally my goals from directly in the centre of the park. Though there was the odd wonder goal from outside 30 yards.